Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 11/27/2005

Question
We have 2 one year-old cats who we took in after their mother was killed.  We have had them since they were about 2 weeks old.  Our problem is that we don't have any idea of how much to feed them.  They are indoor cats and think nothing of eating and sleeping all day.  Unfortunately we all (there are 5 of us)tend to give in to their meows assuming they want food and they are becoming quite fat.  They currently drink water and eat a dry cat food.  Our family could all agree to limit their food portions if we only knew how much that should be on a daily basis.  Any tips?  Thanks!

Answer
If you are feding dry food, then it should be about 1/3 cup per day for the average cat.  There are diets that are called weight management diets that are not so calorie packed and that contain undigested fiber.  Next time you buy food, look for weight management food and try feeding them that.